Virtual or Local?

When I started out as a “virtual” PA and bookkeeper I intended to be able to offer my services to anyone who wanted them regardless of where they were in the UK however, over the past couple of years, I have come to realise that while it is possible for me to carry out the vast majority of my work via email, phone and post it isn’t ideal.  I like to be able to meet with my clients and discuss upcoming work and queries face to face.  This doesn’t mean that I want or need to see them every time some work needs doing but getting together for 1/2 an hour every 2-3 months is very beneficial.

Of course, it depends what you want to use a virtual assistant for.  If you are wanting someone to find a birthday present for a family member or friend then a virutal assistant from almost anywhere could probably do that.  However, if you are wanting someone to type letters or other documents, create presentations or do your bookkeeping it is often useful to be able to see someone face to face and explain what you want.  As time goes on and you and your PA or bookkeeper get to know each other then the need to meet face to face and go over the upcoming work will decrease as you will be able to communicate effectively via email, phone and post.

I always offer a free 1 hour, face to face, consultation with any new, prospective client so that I can get a full understanding of the service the client requires but also so that the client understands the services which I can provide and how I will provide them.  I find that it is easier to discuss this face to face rather than by phone or through an email conversation.  It is also a useful way to find out whether or not you will be able to work with each other for the long term.

Back up your files!

It is common sense if you are a business, or even if you have a lot of documents, pictures etc on your personal computer, to back up your files on a regular basis.  This really hit home with me last week when my computer had an error which wouldn’t repair or allow me to restore to a previous recovery point so I had to reset the computer to its factory settings.  Fortunately, I had all my files backed up. This isn’t the first time I could have potentially lost all my files but this is the first time that I didn’t lose anything.

In the past, I have used an external hard-drive to back up my files on a weekly basis so if the computer crashed I would have lost the files which I had saved since last backing up.  For the past year or so, I have used an online data backup system and paid for the privilege of having unlimited space so that we can back up all the computers in the house to one place.  I also keep clients’ files in my Dropbox so that my clients can access their files too.

Having backed up the files online, I found it so much easier to re-install all my files.  All I had to do was download the restore programme from the website and select the folders/files I wanted to restore and click restore.  It still took me about a day and a half to restore my computer with all the programmes and files which I need but it was so much easier.

One final thing, if you download your software from the provider rather than buy the disc, make sure you keep a hard copy of the email with the licence number etc so that you can re-install without having to buy a new version.  I, personally, prefer to buy my software on disc but sometimes buy online if it is cheaper.

So, having hated the fact that I had to pay for my unlimited online data storage, I am now extremely glad that I did especially considering the number of photos my husband has on his computer!  I will be renewing the contract when the term finishes.

Administrative Manager? Me?

With over 15 years experience as an administrator/secretary when I joined the Institute of Qualified Professional Secretaries (IQPS) in 2008 I was allowed to join as a full member even though I didn’t have any of the formal qualifications they required for new members, experience counts!  When the IQPS became the Institute of Professional Administrators (IPA) my full membership was carried forward, again based on my years of experience.  At the end of last year, the IPA merged with the Institute of Administrative Managers (InstAM) and, again, my membership was transferred as a full membership even though I do not have a level 6 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management (or equivalent).

When I received my new membership pack for the InstAM, they also sent me a copy of the Manager magazine from the end of last year.  In it, there was an article about administrative managers which got me thinking.  I’ve always thought of myself as an administrator/secretary/bookkeeper and never considered that I am a manager.  However, even as the sole administrator in the charity where I currently work part-time, I am actually an administrative manager as part of my job is to process CRB checks for the volunteers and co-ordinate their availability and training as well as work with the Manager and Senior Worker of the schemes to make sure that the volunteers (and staff) know what they are doing.  I am the volunteers’ first point of contact.

In my own business, I am responsible for ensuring that my clients get their paperwork to me on time so that I can make sure that their records are kept up to date and all tax returns etc are filed on time.

So, I am an administrative manager, I just didn’t know it.

Your PA Solution – Training Part 2

Originally I thought I should split my training in two, one for bookkeeping training/qualifications and the other for the administration training/qualifications. Now that I come to write the one about administration I realise that most of my “training” has been on the job and gained over the past 20 years of working.

I have done some courses, most of them whilst I was at the Prudential in my first couple of years. I did a “telephone answering” course, a problem solving course and a time management course (I still have and use the filofax that I was given on this course). I also did courses for Lotus 123 and WordPerfect. These are a bit obsolete now though as I don’t think anyone uses these software packages any more. Although, Lotus 123 and WordPerfect were the precursors to Excel and Word and I still use some of the formulas and keyboard shortcuts that I learnt using those.

The training I have had which can’t be taught on a course but rather on the job applies to filing, organisation and time management. Yes, I went on a course for time management but whilst you can be told what you should be doing there is no substitute for putting it in to practice, especially when you have two or more people telling you that their work is most important. You need to be able to ask them for deadlines and then organise your time and work accordingly. I have found that as long as you ask for a deadline and beat it your boss, or client, is happy. However, if you don’t think you are going to make a deadline, you need to be able to see it and let the client know as soon as possible and let them have an estimated time of completion.

I am currently doing the PA Diploma with Pitman to help keep myself up to date with changes in Microsoft Office packages and a few other bits and pieces. That is more for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) though and I will save that for another blog. It is going well and so far I have completed five or six modules and have passed all of them with distinction.

Your PA Solution – Training Part I

I am going to split the “Training” section in two as I provide administration and bookkeeping services. I’m going to start with bookkeeping this week and then do the administration part next week. So, even though I know I will be repeating myself as I have covered part of this in my blogs regarding background and experience, my bookkeeping training is as follows:

After doing my husband’s books for 15 years or so, I decided that I would like to gain some qualifications to back up my experience and returned to study, again. I gained Level I Certificate in Bookkeeping as well as the Level II Certificate in Computerised Bookkeeping from the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers. I am also an Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (AICB) and a Practice Licence holder with the ICB. I am currently studying for the Level II Certificate in Manual Bookkeeping which I need to take the exam for before September 2011 to retain my membership of the ICB as well as my Practice Licence.

Your PA Solution – Experience

This is the second of my series of blogs “About Me” (and Your PA Solution). This one is about the experience I have which I can bring to assisting clients with the administration tasks in their business.

I have over 20 years experience providing administration support within businesses of various sizes. I started at a large pension provider in 1990. Over the next 6½ years I progressed from junior administrator into a supervisory role with sole responsibility for life assurance schemes within a pension department. I left that role when my son was small as the time taken for traveling to work from home was almost as long as the hours I spent there on a part-time basis.

Following on from life assurance, I went on to be a legal secretary and worked for the Senior Partner of, what was then, a relatively small firm of solicitors with 12 partners. It started out as a job share with another secretary until she went on maternity leave and then decided not to return to the role and I became the Senior Partner’s sole secretary, on a part-time basis working 22½ hours per week. Somehow I managed to organise my time effectively enough to complete all work required of me within the hours I was at work. I left this job, after 4½ years, when we moved from Basingstoke to York – it’s a bit far to commute from Yorkshire to Hampshire!

Following our move to York, I went to work as a legal secretary, this time in the wills and probate department in a small firm of solicitors. Unfortunately, I did not feel I was being used to my full ability and capability so I left to return to the financial sector, working as an administrator for a small pension provider. Although the administration work kept me busy, I wanted a change in direction so left administration behind and returned to full-time education in September 2004.

Whilst at college and university where I obtained my HND in Sport & Exercise Science (Therapy) and BSc in Sport & Exercise Science, I started working at a supermarket chain whilst studying. This enabled me to gain new skills in the customer facing market as well as continuing to hone my organisational, time management and other lifestyle skills. The benefits of working there are so good that I am still there after 7 years! Only for 7½ hours per week though.

Upon graduating in 2007, I decided that although I was interested in sport and exercise, my passion is paperwork so I returned to a business support role as PA to two partners of a commercial finance brokers. This role was very varied and no two days were the same. Unfortunately, when the recession hit I was unable to continue my employment with the company and left in June 2010.

For the past 18 years, I have also provided full administration and bookkeeping support for my husband’s business, Teach-2-Drive Driver and Instructor Training.

Coming next: Training – bookkeeping

Who are Your PA Solution – Background

Actually, a better question would be “Who is Your PA Solution?” as the company is me, myself and I.  So, who am I?  I am Fiona, a mother, wife, housekeeper, chief bottle washer, nutrition planner and the list goes on.  I am also an administrator and part-qualified bookkeeper with over 20 years experience in providing administrative and secretarial support.  This is what I love doing and am fortunate enough that this is what I get paid to do.

I went back to college/university at the age of 33 to get my degree and then promptly went back into administration upon graduation at the age of 35 as I discovered that the paperwork is what I love!  I know a lot of business owners don’t like paperwork.  Well, why would they?  They didn’t start their own business to do paperwork, they set up their business to provide the service or product that they specialise in.  An example of this is my husband, Rob Sefton, who is a driving instructor (specialising in fleet driver training) and driving instructor trainer (he trains those who are mad enough to want to become driving instructors!).  He is fantastic at his job and still enjoys it after 27 years!  However, put him in front of a computer or paperwork and he stresses, a lot.  I on the other hand could not spend 7 hours a day in a car assessing and improving someone’s driving.  So, we both have our areas of expertise.  My husband uses mine, I have provided full administrative and bookkeeping support to his business for over 18 years, and whenever I get in a car with him I have no choice but to use his.

As well as administration work, I also work for a large supermarket chain in one of their smaller shops.  I started the job when I returned to college/university as a part-time student job and can’t give up the discount card!  On a more serious note, it gets me out there meeting people and interacting with clients from different backgrounds and age groups.  It also gives me an opportunity to work as part of a team as well as on my own.